Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.
Lisa Baker’s, candidate for Barrel district council seat, campaign finance reports are clean with no errors. As of the July 15th reporting deadline she had raised $12,630.01 and spent $10,971.74. She has about a dozen contributions over $100 and about another dozen contributions under $100.
The most noteworthy contributions were $500 from Bart Turner (he also contributed to Rory Goree’s campaign) and $200 from Kathy Goree. Baker loaned herself another $2500 and repaid herself $775.31. She received two PAC donations. AZ List PAC gave $500 and Realtors of AZ PAC gave $1000.
It doesn’t appear that Baker sent out even one mailer to the voters of the district. This is one essential element in a campaign. Even if it ends up in the trash, it will have been read by one voter. Name recognition is achieved in two ways, signs along roadways and mailings to voters.
Baker’s major support is from a specific downtown Glendale clique, not from Barrell district residents. For whose interests will she advocate?
Her campaign seems desultory with her major focus on signs, hoping these alone will get her elected.
Michael Calles’, candidate for Barrel district council seat, campaign finance reports are also clean with no errors. As of the July 15th reporting deadline he had raised $54,179.50 and spent $32,599.54. Calles has about 67 contributions over $100 and about another dozen contributions under $100.
Noteworthy is the fact that he raised over $20,000 in one night at his campaign kick-off event. He received 6 PAC donations. Five from Firefighter PACs from Chandler, Peoria, Surprise, Phoenix and Tempe as well as the Freedom Club PAC.
His campaign is well organized and funded. He has sent mailers to Barrell voters. Calles, unlike Baker, Baldenegro or Goree, received the endorsements of law enforcement and firefighters both locally and statewide. He enjoys wide-ranging community support.
Do your research. Check out their websites.
Your choice, your vote.
© Joyce Clark, 2026
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